We're Back!

It's been go go go since we touched down in tropical Ontario this past Friday! What's up with the green, sunny Christmas? Even though everyone always complains about snow, it was the most perfect Christmas weather we left behind in Calgary, and now it seems more like the beginnings of spring than a week before Christmas.

We've had a great time seeing and catching up with the first round of family and friends! Today was back to the city, which hasn't gone too well so far. Have I mentioned my dislike (putting it as politely as possible) for Toronto? I'm just not a city girl. This morning proved it. I thought maybe after being away, it would feel good to be back, and feel somewhat like "home". Wrong. I'm heading outside of the city as soon as I'm finished the lunch I'm currently eating at a cafe, and I can't wait to get out. Maybe once we're back in our condo and starting to transform our tiny second bedroom into baby's room, it'll feel a bit better.

Sigh.

Off for the rest of Christmas shopping....

Last weekend in the mountains

I figure before I launch into photos and stories from our sunny weekend in California, I should probably pay tribute to our last weekend in Banff, and Eric's one and only ski day in the mountains. I've never enjoyed skiing, but wish I did. Something about the speed and not feeling in control, plus being freezing cold and wet and paying big bucks to do so just doesn't appeal to me. I knew Eric was really excited about skiing in the mountains, so off we went to Banff one last time, spending Saturday on the ski hills. As much as well all complain about snow, seriously, the snow we've had out here is so pretty and I'll definitely miss the Christmas feeling of the fluffy snow since apparently Ontario weather is looking more like spring.

Plus one of us in front of our Christmasy mantle! I love our little tree :) 

Week 23

Three months goes by FAST. We're sitting in our very bare condo, surrounded by suitcases, wondering how it's possible that we fly back to Ontario TOMORROW. As much as I can't wait to see my family and friends, it's going to be sad leaving Calgary just because of the lifestyle we were able to have here. Less stress, less obligations, shorter work hours...I'll definitely miss certain things about Calgary life.

Being that we're heading home, house hopping between family and friends with Christmas in between, I probably won't be posting as much as I'd like in the next few weeks. But come January, I want to make it a priority to be posting much more often, which should (I'm hoping) be easier with all the baby prep we'll be doing! January's project: NURSERY!!!

Sometime over this past weekend (in California, which I need to post about...) this belly seemed to POP! The day of this photo, I had at least 5 comments from customers at work about the belly, which was a first! Definitely depends on what I'm wearing I guess, since the next day I had none.

Week 22

As soon as December 1st hit, life turned chaotic. That weekend, we drove to Banff for one last weekend in the mountains and one chance for Eric to go skiing. The weather delivered, being nice and snowy but not too horribly cold. Obviously I did not take part in the skiing, but spent my day on the slopes riding the insanely long gondola and testing out different cafes. On the way back, we stopped at the mall at my work for some empty boxes for packing and made a frantic run to the grocery store, rushing to drop everything off at home and dropping off the rental car on time.

We were both busy with work and writing Christmas cards in the evenings, but made a few minutes for Week 22 pics! Baby has been kicking like crazy, more frequent during the day and definitely stronger. I imagine I'll feel like I've been the subject of an inner drum circle or soccer match by Month 9... I've also been having a lot of Braxton Hicks, which I never expected this early. Usually at least a few times a day, all of a sudden I'll feel everything tighten and tense, and then relax. Weird. And sometimes nearly traumatic if I have to pee as that pressure = not a good situation.
Here we are at Week 22!

It's beginning to look a lot like...

There was no way, especially with all the snow outside, that I wasn't decorating our temporary Calgary home for Christmas. The fireplace and mantle were just begging to be decked out in festive trimmings, and how on earth could we listen to Christmas carols and write our Christmas cards without some sort of tree in our midst?

I knew we wouldn't be able to do much, with space restrictions and the little fact that we would have to take everything back home with us. I raided Dollarama, and during a weekend away, we found our little tree.

This is our mantle before, adorned with all our baby cards and our two little knit hats from Nana :)

Aaaannnddddd, AFTER! Christmas-ized!

Craving Caving

Yes, another one.

Why?

I have no idea.

One week it's salt, one week it's sweet. Maybe that means baby will have a diverse palate?

Normally, I would have no problem giving up a store-bought cookie. A homemade one or nice cafe cookie with fun ingredients? Sure. But cookies from the "bad" aisle in the grocery store in a box with the twist tie tabs to close it? No thanks.

Except for the Oreo. I mean, really. Who can say no to an Oreo dunked in a cold glass of milk?

This photo of course does not do it justice. I ate them anyway.

Food for the Belly: Dinner Fail

Well. I almost didn't post this, as it looks about as appetizing as it tasted, but hey, why not. I had been thinking about this recipe since I saw it on (where else?) Pinterest a while ago. Roasted red pepper and goat cheese pasta. Well, hello! Yes please! I actually went to quite a bit of trouble for this one, including extra treks to the grocery store for specialty ingredients such as fresh pasta, goat cheese, parmesan and cream. It wasn't that horrible, but considering the effort and special ingredients...just wasn't worth it.

I think part of the problem may have been that I had zero fresh herbs to add flavour (even though they weren't specifically called for in the recipe), and that the herb and garlic goat cheese I used didn't seem to have a ton of flavour either, so the tangy goat cheese taste I was expecting didn't come through. The roasted red peppers turned out well, though next time I would do 3 instead of just two. All in all, just good pasta covered in creamy, but flavourless sauce. Bleh.

Food for the Belly: Bistro Dinner

Instead of cookbooks, or website, or dare I say it, even Pinterest.... I think I'm going to start referencing restaurant menus for meal inspiration. You know how you can go to a restaurant and see about a billion things on the menu that you want? Yes, that's me. Which is why, if I EVER had a restaurant, it would consist of sampler platters galore, and a mix and match menu so you can try a little bit of everything. I know that sounds like tapas, or a buffet, but let's face it...tapas are usually expensive and buffets? Well, if anyone has found a gourmet buffet where they've raved about the food, you can let me know.

So, after our burger night at Black Betty's, I was thinking how amazing all the soups, salads and sandwiches sounded, and that we needed our own bistro night. So bistro night we did have! I made beef barley soup from this Pinterest recipe, which turned out a bit thick, but good, and chicken club sandwiches with pesto chicken, bacon, avocado, tomato and greens on focaccia.

Our soup and sammy bistro dinner! And a quick FYI on the fact that each nicely plated dinner goes to my man, hence the accompanying glass of wine. My plate sometimes looks like a disaster. I'm usually so starving by the time I've finished cooking that I shove Eric's plate at him to take a photo, slosh my food onto my plate in whatever way, shape or form is fastest, and get to the table so this baby and I can EAT!